


And All Was Right With the World

by Kuolettava



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Family, Gift Giving, Holidays, There is no sorrow here, happiness, only happiness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-07
Updated: 2017-03-07
Packaged: 2018-09-30 15:01:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10165574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kuolettava/pseuds/Kuolettava
Summary: Shiro decides to do something nice for his crew to show his gratitude.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally for a Voltron fan exchange that I wasn't able to participate in due to unforeseen life circumstances, but I figured I should post it. No use in it just gathering dust in my google docs. The prompt was essentially that they wanted Shiro to be happy. They mentioned sewing and I thought it might be cute if Shiro took the ridiculous amount of time to collect materials and quilt everyone their own sweaters. After all, it gets chilly in outer space.

It was difficult telling the passage of time in outer space. While it was something that Shiro had long since gotten used to, he often heard the other Paladins talking about it. It held such a different connotation here where there were almost no shadows and you were more apt to hear laughter or playful bickering then anything other than silence. He smiled a little to himself, or rather, to the swatches of fabric that surrounded him. He could hear Pidge next door tinkering with something in their room. Lance and Keith were in the hall arguing about some contest or another that they had decided to start (again), but there was no heat there. It was nice hearing warmth in Keith’s voice again. It felt like a millennia since he heard Keith sound genuinely happy. 

There were more voices in the hallway now, Hunk’s lower rumble immediately distinguishable between the other two. It wouldn’t be long until Pidge came out and started going on about noise levels and how they related to concentration. The thought brought on another smile. Shiro glanced up at the sound of Pidge’s door opening and, sure enough, the chaos was only added to. Family was difficult to find, let alone keep, and found in the unlikeliest of places. With a few final stitches, Shiro hid away what he was working on and opened his own door. 

“You guys having a party out here and you didn’t invite me?” Shiro smiled as they all stumbled over each other to respond first. Keith looked embarrassed and mildly horrified, Pidge pushed his arm with an incredulous expression on their face, Lance was all smiles and silly jokes, and Hunk apologized. Of course, he apologized. Shiro shook his head. 

“How about you four do something productive and make your way to the common area. I have something that I need to say to all of you.” He held up his hands before the inevitable flood of questions, “Nothing bad happened. Just go sit down. I’ll get Coran and Allura and be down in a couple of minutes.”

The procession of Paladins slowly meandered away. Keith kept throwing looks back over his shoulder until Shiro just smiled and shook his head a little. That boy was such a worry wart. Shiro waited until his ragtag group of friends was out of sight before ducking back into his room and checking over everything. Content, he smoothed it all out and wrapped it carefully before gathering up the packages and heading back out. 

It didn’t take him long to find the Princess and her right-hand man. As per the usual, they were on the star deck pouring over maps they had gone over a thousand times and plans they had discussed so often that Shiro could detail them backward and in Pig-Latin without missing a beat. He tapped his foot against the entrance by way of knocking and nodded out towards the hallway once he had their attention. 

“Could I steal you two for a second? There is something that I need to tell you and the rest of the team.” 

Coran directed his smile that could warm worlds in Shiro’s direction and he couldn’t help but smile back. That man had a gift, whether he knew it or not. There were few that Shiro could say made him more comfortable. While the Paladins all looked to him for advice and guidance, Coran was never a stranger when Shiro needed the same. 

“Of course Shiro. Is something the matter?” Princess Allura took a step towards him, unnecessary worry furrowing her brow. 

“Nope. Just have a surprise for you guys is all.” He shrugged, or tried to considering his load, “Besides. You and Coran need to take a break. You’ve been at those maps for hours.”  
Before Allura could protest Coran cut in, “Well we certainly can’t argue with that now can we Princess?”

She opened her mouth to respond but Coran just tut-tutted and pat her cheek before guiding her out of the room. Shiro brought up the rear and followed to the common area.

“Shirrroooooo….” Lance threw his head back against the couch, “What’s taking you so long?” 

Shiro leaned down to look Lance in the eye, “I’m right here. Keep your pants on.” 

A playful glint danced in Lance’s eyes but before he could say anything, Pidge punched him in the arm, which elicited a shout from said feisty Paladin.

“Save it, lover boy.”

Keith snorted a laugh.

Lance whipped around, “Can it, mullet-head!” 

“You couldn’t make me if you tried.” Keith scoffed, crossing his arms across his chest. 

“Wanna bet? I’ll-”

“Guys!” Everyone stopped and looked at Shiro, “Chill out. Just for five minutes. Then you can squabble.” He shot Lance and Keith a look, “Just make sure you do it on the training deck and not on the couches.” 

Keith smirked. Lance stuck his tongue out. Pidge groaned. Hunk, acting as if there wasn’t a small army’s worth of noise going on next to him, leaned forward.

“What are those?”

The room went quiet again. Shiro jostled the packages in his arms before going around the circle. Each parcel was placed on the table space in front of its intended owner.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you guys about.” Shiro positioned himself in the space between Keith and Allura, “I know that we don’t exactly have a calendar out here and me of all people should probably be one of the last ones trying to keep track of time, but if I’m guessing correctly it should be around the holidays.” 

“So these are… Christmas presents?” Hunk touched the paper in front of him gently.

Shiro ducked his head, “Yeah, something like that...”

Silence fell again. Immediately doubt set it. Was this too forward? Was he majorly off about what time of year it might be back on Earth? Did they even want these gifts? They weren’t perfect, that’s for certain but-

“Ahem.” 

Shiro looked up. 

Allura lightly touched Shiro’s arm, “What, exactly, is Christmas?” 

Oh. Right. Shiro laughed a little, “Sorry Princess. I should have clarified. For some, it’s a religious holiday where they celebrate the coming of their Lord. For pretty much everyone else, it’s an excuse to buy or make things for the people that they care about. Like birthdays, but everyone gets a gift instead of just one person.” 

“And!” Hunk chimed in, “Usually there are big meals and the whole family gets together to eat and celebrate together. It’s the best.” he looked to Coran, “We should try and whip something up in the kitchen later.”

Happy to be called upon, Coran nodded, “That sounds like an absolutely splendid idea. I can show you how to make a traditional-”

“No!” A chorus rang through the room. Allura laughed lightly and pat Coran’s knee.

“Let the Paladins be, Coran. I’m sure whatever they have in mind will be wonderful.”

Coran muttered something as Hunk gave him a somewhat sympathetic look. 

“If we still have some materials left, I can show you how to make some of the foods that my mom taught me when I was a kid.” 

Coran seemed to perk up at that and the group lost Hunk and Coran to talk that was only half intelligible to everyone else. Who knew there was so much jargon involved in cooking? 

“Anyway…” Pidge slowly looked away from the oddly entertaining sight of Hunk and Coran, “So about these gifts.” They placed a hand on the package directly in front of them, “I didn’t get you anything.” If Shiro didn’t know Pidge better he would have missed the tug of guilt in the corner of their mouth. But he did know Pidge better than that. He leaned across the table and put his hand on top of Pidge’s. 

“Don’t worry about that.” Pidge’s frown deepened,”The point of giving gifts isn’t to receive gifts in return. I just wanted to do something nice for you guys.”

“Dude,” Lance started,”You do nice things for us like. Every day.” 

“Yeah.” Keith lightly touched Shiro’s shoulder, “You didn’t have to do this.”

Allura watched it all with mounting confusion and Shiro laughed quietly. 

“Guys, it’s fine. I wanted to. Just.” He pushed Pidge’s package closer to them, “Just open it. Please. I promise, it really isn’t all that much.” 

Pidge eyed Shiro skeptically. ‘Not all that much’ in Shiro’s book only meant that it wasn’t the stars in the sky outside. It was a wonder that Shiro didn’t regularly run himself into the ground for all of them. The only person in their ragtag group of merry folk that competed with him in that regard was Hunk. They shook their head and picked at a corner of the glittery paper. Where did he even find half of this stuff? Sure, the team had gone through quite a few different bazaars over the past couple of (probably) months, but how did they not notice Shiro stealing away to gather gifts? 

Sighing, they pulled the corner of the package open. Based on the shape, weight, and flexibility of the package it was probably something made out of cloth and sure enough, a patchwork of more greens than Pidge even knew were possible were stitched together neatly inside. They tugged the object out and held it up. Lance laughed a little.   
“Is this a Christmas sweater?” Pidge held it up to their chest. They carefully smoothed the article over their chest, enjoying how the various textures felt against their bare palm.   
Shiro quietly marveled at how the colors brought out the depth of Pidge’s eyes. Green really did suit them. He nodded quietly.

“Where did you even find this?” Pidge held it out again to stare at it. It was big, a couple sizes bigger than what they usually wore but knowing Shiro that was probably done on purpose. He was always thinking too many steps ahead, estimating for growth rates and comfortability levels.

“I made it.” 

Every head in the room snapped to attention. No matter how many times it happened there was just no getting used to everyone paying close and complete attention to him. Shiro was used to being watched, to being observed, but this was different. He felt almost looked through as if each pair of attentive eyes in this room was able to see past what held him altogether. He clasped his hands in his lap. 

“Did you make all of our gifts?” This was Keith, so quiet it was almost a whisper. Shiro nodded. 

“Well then! We can’t keep you waiting, now can we? Come now, Paladins. Open your gifts.” Allura shooed her hands at the rest of the group and Shiro was suddenly and immensely glad that she was there. It felt like it had been too long since he last gave a gift to someone. Was this awkward? It was awkward, wasn’t it? 

Lance tore into his paper, scattering sequin-like glitter all over the table. Hunk laughed as he did the same. Keith was carefully unwrapping his gifts, fingers deft and gentle. Until he got a handful of said glitter-confetti to the face. Lance howled with laughter. Pidge hid a smile behind their now fabric-covered hand. Allura laughed as Coran prodded her into opening her own, beaming at all of them. 

No. It wasn’t awkward. This was perfect. It was better and so much more than he had imagined. Soon, everyone was in their new sweaters. Hunks was patches of yellows and light browns, sunlight and soil personified. Keith’s was a rainbow of reds, fire and passion. Lance’s ranged from ice blue to a dark navy, every bit as vibrant as water in all of its forms. Allura’s was shades of pinks and violets, warmth and royalty all rolled into one. Coran’s was made of various purples from regal to ridiculous.

Allura rested a hand on Shiro’s arm, “They’re lovely.” 

Before Shiro could respond he found himself slammed against Hunk’s chest. One body turned to two, then three, then four until he was wrapped up in everyone and almost all of the air was pushed clean out of him. Shiro let out a breathy laugh. There might have been a time when this crush of bodies pushed him too fast, too far, but not today. He knew he was safe here. Something shifted within him. He wasn’t quite sure what it was or what necessarily had done it but warmth came rushing up to fill the new gap. Closing his tingling eyes, Shiro rested against his family. 

“We’ll get you something too,” Pidge mumbled, voice muffled somewhere in the pile of people. 

“You don’t have to.” Shiro turned his head and rested his cheek on Hunk’s shoulder, “I already have everything that I need.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! Feel free to drop a comment here! (I also like critiques as long as they are actually constructive and not just attacking.)


End file.
